Composite material

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to composite materials, and more particular to composite adsorptive materials for purification of liquids, in particular, a drinking water, on the basis of components of a granulated material and a fibrous material. The new composite material for filtering purifying a liquid on the basis of a mixture of components of granulated and fibrous materials comprises volume zones with adjustable density, which zones create the structure of the material, which structure is self-strengthened when a liquid flows in the course of filtration, wherein, said volume zones make the material most part, each zone is created in the form of a interlaced fiber site, which sites are bonded among themselves by separate fibers, and the space within and between said interlaced fiber sites is filled with a granulated material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to composite material, and, in particular, to composite adsorptive materials for purification of liquids, in particular, potable water, based on moulding granulats and fibrous material components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Potable water in many cases requires afterpurification in area of consumption, since the barrier role of traditional water-treatment system constructions not always allows to remove or reduce concentration of individual contaminants up to standardized amounts, which in result affects quality of potable water.

Generally, a final potable water afterpurification system represents a column of activated carbon used to remove chlorine, organic chemicals and other contaminants. In many cases, activated granular carbon is used. Advantages of use of said are that granular activated carbon is a cheap raw materials that has rather small hydraulic resistance and does not consolidate when liquid flows. A disadvantage is low rate of adsorption. Therefore, at use of granulose activated carbon in the industry, the recommended time of contact of a sorbent in the column and a liquid is not less than 15 minutes, which is unacceptable for living conditions. Besides, a column with activated granulose carbon does not remove fine contaminant particles because of relatively big size of sorbent granules and free space (voids) between them.

Powdery activated carbon, as it is known, adsorbs impurities faster than granulose activated carbon does, however, use of smaller fraction creates high hydraulic resistance and result in undesirable compaction of a filtration column when a liquid flows. To avoid compaction, usually a binder is injected. Filtering elements comprising particles of activated carbon, aggregated in a hard structure by polymeric binder in the form of a thermoplastic material, do not consolidate when liquid flows, however, in this case, a part of adsorption volume of activated carbon is not used in operation, because of contact with an immobilizing binder. In those filters, activated carbon particles occupy only a part of adsorptive column volume, at the same time, other part of adsorptive column volume is occupied by binder. A binder is not active to adsorb contaminants, and its introduction results in increasing a column size in comparison with an adsorptive column which comprises only activated carbon. Besides, the manufacturing such filtering elements is expensive and request exact temperature regimes, and other high-precision controlled process parameters.

Methods of using activated carbon fibers in columns is known, but those methods are rather expensive, and cause consolidating the fibers when liquid flows, which results in increased flow resistance, although the fibres compaction is significantly smaller than at using powdery activated carbon.

In the prior art, known is using filtering elements for liquid purification on the basis of a mixture of granulated material and fibrous material. For example, known is a composite material consisting of an adsorbing granulated material and a material capable to extend when it contacts with a liquid (U.S. patent application No 20040232068 A1, published on 25 Nov. 2004, IPC BO1D 039/100). An adsorbing material can be, for example, a granulated activated carbon (80-325 mesh) and granulated ion-exchange resin, and a polymer extending material can be, for example, ion-exchange fibers based on a polyacrylonitrile. Components of said materials are carefully mixed up and located in a suitable case, which case volume limits swelling value of the extending material. Formation of a porous composite material occurs at its contact with a liquid in the said case due to immobilizing the granulated material in an extending material in the course of its swelling, and also due to pressure of internal walls of the case, forming a structure with random distribution of original components that strongly enough kept together, at the same time the composite material is capable of taking the case shape. The extending material can be at quantities from 0.1% to 99.9% by weight.

Disadvantages of the described porous composite consist in that, at stage of obtaining it, namely, at immobilizing granulose particles into an extending material, it is impossible to form a substantively ordered porous structure. Besides, in intervals between filtrations, in course of dehydration of an extending material, an granulose component can be undesirably moved, and, as a consequence, gradual destruction of the composite porous filtration structure can occur.

Another example of use of composite material for liquid purification, in particular, for potable water, based on a mixture of granulose and fibrous materials, is described in Russian Federation patent No 22132729, published on 10 Jul. 1999, IPC BO1D 039/02, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,771, published on 9 Nov. 2001, IPC BO1D 039/00.

Russian Federation patent No 2132729 discloses the composite adsorptive material comprising a packed mixture of granules and fibres in the form of granulose activated carbon in the amount of 5-30% by weight and activated carbon fibres in the amount of 70-95% by weight. The mixture also can be consisted of ion-exchange granules and ion-exchange fibers. In the composite adsorptive material, the fibres closely fill the space between activated carbon granules. Sizes and relative amounts of granules and fibres are selected so that the filtering element refines water of contaminants faster than traditional filters with granules activated carbon. At significant time periods between filtrations, the packed mixture of granules and fibres indicates improved characteristics and recovery of adsorptive capabilities during interrupts between filtrations.

A filter described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,771 consists of a compacted mixture of components: granulated activated carbon in the amount of 5-30% by weight and the activated carbon fibers in the amount of 70-80% by weight. The mixture of ion-exchange granules with ion-exchange fibers also can be used in the filter. As granules, particles with the size of 50-3000 μm, preferable 100-2000 μm are used. The length of fibers is 0.2-20 mm, preferable 1-10 mm, average diameter 1-30 μm, preferable, more preferable 4-20 μm. Average diameter of granules is to be more than average diameter of the fiber. At the same time, fibers are intertwisted among themselves in the composite structure and around closely packed granules of activated carbon adjoining with each other, and with high grade of filling voids between the said granules. As a result, numerous channels for water passage are formed, at the expense of which the filtering element hydraulic resistance is reduced. The described composite material is capable to restore adsorption properties (prototype) in the intervals between the filtrations.

Aforesaid examples of filtering elements made on the basis of composite have a number of disadvantages. As in Russian Federation patent No 2132729 and in U.S. patent of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,771 disclosed, the fibres of composite material structure do not provide sufficient fixation of granules component small fractions, and undesirable compaction of the composite can be occur in the course of water flowing through the filtering element, resulting in increased filtration time and reduced filtration rate of the filtering element, and also damage of composite material structure because of capturing and bringing o poorly fixed granulose particles by a water stream, particularly powdery particles, including their agglomeration, which will result in low efficiency of liquid purification during the claimed filtering element resource.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is creation of a new composite material that allows to avoid the said disadvantages.

The technical effect achieved with utilization of the present invention is reducing liquid filtration time at the expense of increased filtration rate with increased liquid purification efficiency in relation of ions of lead and chloroform, and storing the composite material structure.

The object in view and needed technical effect are achieved at the expense of creating a new composite material for a liquid filter purification based on the mixture of components of granulated and fibrous materials comprising volume zones with adjustable density, which zones forming a material structure, which structure is self-strengthening when a liquid flows in the course of filtration, wherein the said volume zones make the most part of material, each zone is performed in the form of a site with twisted fibers, which sites are connected among themselves by individual fibers, and the space within and between twisted fiber sites is filled with granulated material. At the same time, the size of twisted fiber sites is longer than average length of an individual fiber and is not less than 1 mm. If the size of a twisted fiber site preferably makes 5-8 mm, the average length of a separate fiber is in the interval of 0.5-3.9 mm, preferably 2.5-3.5 mm, and if the size of each twisted fiber site preferably makes 9-16 mm, then the average length of a separate fiber makes 4-15.5 mm, preferably 7-8 mm. As granulated material, there can be used a granulated activated carbon, powdered activated carbon, granulated ion-exchange resin, granulated inorganic adsorbents made on a basis of oxide, carbonates and silicates or any its combinations. As a fibrous material, there are used polymer fibers with surface energy not less than 30 MJ/m², preferable not less than 60 MJ/m². As polymer fibers, there are used fibers based on polyacrylonitrile, cellulose fibers, modified fibers on the basis of cellulose polyamide fibers, polyester fibers, carbon fibers, silicon comprising fibers or any its combinations, at the same time as polymer fibers on the basis of polyacrylonitrile there are used the ion-exchange fibers possessing cation-exchange, anion-exchange, ion-complexing characteristics, or any combination of the said properties.

Volume zones with regulated density, according to the invention, are created at the expense of using, in a composite material, a granulated material and fibrous material characterized by certain surface energy and average separate fiber length, by means of physical and chemical interactions between fibers absorbing to the prescribed method. Energy of interaction between fibers in volume zones depends on their surface energy. Fibers shall have a surface energy not less than 30 MJ/m², preferably not less than 60 MJ/m². The more fiber surface energy, the more points of physical and chemical interaction will be formed in volume zones, and the more their density. As physical and chemical interaction between fibers is carried out according to mechanism of mutual hydrophilous-hydrophilous attraction by means of water medium, then at using fibers with surface energy <30 MJ/m², the fibers will co-operate with water and with each other at insufficient degree with forming low density volume zones. Thus, the surface energy of fibers defines density of volume zones. Regulation of volume zones density can change filtration rate: filtration rate can increase, and filtration time will decrease accordingly.

According to the invention, each zone is performed in the form of the site of the interlaced fibers, and granulated material is distributed within said interlaced fibers sites, and in a lesser degree between them. Interlaced fibers sites keep granulated material in structure and do not allow granules to be moved and condensed, at the same time separate fibers in composite structure are interlaced around the said sites in the total volume of a composite material forming a uniform (bonded) structural matrix. The size of plurality of interlaced fibers sites shall be more than average length of a separate fiber. Separate fibers form structural zones with less density. Due to less density of structural zones, interlaced fibers sites are capable to move in relation of each other under the action of external mechanical forces, at the same time, there is no stratification of the composite material, i.e. the composite material is free-running in a dry state before a liquid filtration, that allows to stuff or fill easily with its necessary quantity any desired filter column or unit. During filtration, the liquid moves both inside and around interlaced fibers sites. Interlaced fibers sites provide reduced flow resistance, at the expense of which liquid filtration rate increases.

The size of each interlaced fiber site, according to the invention, is not less than 1 mm. If the average length of a separate fiber is from 0.5 mm to 3.9 mm, preferably 3-3.5 mm, then the size of each interlaced fiber site is preferably 5-8 mm. If the average is length of a separate fiber is from 4 mm to 15.5 mm, preferable 7-8 mm, then the size of each interlaced fiber site is preferably 9-16 mm. At using fibers with average length more than 15.5 mm, the fibers begin to cooperate intensely with themselves forming loops and knots that interfere with forming the composite material structure, the most of which is comprised by volume zones.

In more details, the interlaced fibers sites are connected one with other at the expense of physical and/or physical and chemical interaction of separate fibers. Physical interaction is carried out by means mechanical coupling of fibers with each other. Physical and chemical interaction begins to appear at contact a fiber with water. In course of liquid flowing, the number of points of physical and chemical interactions increases. The more of those points, the more volume zones density increases. At the expense of increasing density, the ability of volume zones to hold granulated material increases. Physical interactions also arise in points under the action of a filtered liquid stream. There is an additional mechanical coupling of fibers with each other in such a way, that upon a filtration ends and after drying, the composite material is not shrinked, compacted, or its structure destructed. The composite material, due to strengthening its structure, is capable to take the shape of any case that housed it, at the same time the composite material, without being scattered, can be easily taken from the case in the form of one piece integrated element. At the expense of “self-strengthening” in the course of liquid flowing, the composite material keeps its structure throughout the claimed filtering element resource.

In the prior art known is using powdered particles of granulated material. It is known, that the filter materials made of small fraction carbon adsorb contaminants, due to extended adsorbing surface of powdered particles, is better than filter materials on the basis of coarse fraction activated carbon. However, usually, at various stages of obtaining a filter material, at agitation, powdered fraction particles are easily linked with each other and easily fill free spaces, also at using granulated activated carbon between its particles. That results in creating big agglomerates of small fraction particles and to excessive compaction of the filtering structure, which essentially increases a flow resistance of the filtering element and reduces efficiency of purification. According to the invention, small fraction particles are distributed within interlaced fiber sites, and in a lesser degree between them. At the expense of its dense structure, the interlaced fibers sites hold powdered particles and do not allow them to be moved and agglomerated. That provides a possibility to use a great part of a powdered component in the composite material, which part, with other components of the composite material, allows to reach efficiency of removing lead ions and chloroform from a liquid.

The composite material according to the invention represents a mixture of granulated material and a fibrous material.

As a granulated material, there is used, for example, a granulated activated carbon, powdered activated carbon (produced by Davao Chemical, Philippines; or Bieco-link Carbons (PTE) LTD., Sri Lanka), granulated ion-exchange resin (C243, produced by Sybron Chemicals Inc., USA), granulated inorganic adsorbents on the basis of oxides (“HromLab” LTD., Russia, 0.05-0.1 mm), carbonates (“Kamnizdes” LTD., Russia, dolomite 0.1-1 mm) and silicates (VOSTOK-ENERGO JSC., Russia, 0.1-0.9 mm), or any their combinations.

As a fibrous material, there are used cellulose fibers (“Polymarct” Ltd., Russia, with the surface energy 34 MJ/m²), modified fibers on the basis of cellulose (“DKM Venture projects” Ltd., Russia, 43 MJ/m²), polyamide fibers, polyester fibers (DonPolymerMarket JSC, Russia, 31 MJ/m²), carbon fibers (KoTHmex, Taiwan, 47 MJ/m²), siliceous fibers (Dowex, USA, 36 MJ/m²), polymer fibers on the basis of polyacrylonitrile. As polymer fibers on the basis of polyacrylonitrile, there are used fibers with cation-exchange, anion-exchange, ion-complexing properties or any combination of the said properties (for example, fibers Copan produced by “TES” Research and Production Company, Russia, 70 MJ/m²).

The composite material, for example, can be obtained according the following method consisting of two stages.

At the first stage, a previously cut fiber of certain length, according to the invention, is exposed to preconditioning. The fiber load into a tank to agitate, for example, by a centrifugal water pump, then water is added on the basis of 1 m³ for 10-15 kg of a fiber. After the process is terminated, the finished material is offloaded to a centrifuge by means of a wet-pit pump. To prevent product losses, a special mesh bag is mounted in the centrifuge. Centrifugal process runs preferably 7 minutes. Then the fiber in the mesh bag is offloaded from the centrifuge. Then it is drying. At all steps of conditioning, intense agitation of fibers is provided, due to which volume zones are created in the form of interlaced fiber sites.

The second stage is started with preparation of a fiber suspension. For this purpose, a water is supplied to the tank and simultaneously is loaded preliminary conditioned fibers. Water is used on the basis of 1 m³ of water for 100-180 kg of loaded mixture. A homogeneous suspension of a fiber in water is prepared in the tank at intense agitation. Then, the obtained suspension is pumped by the pump to a tank for mixture of components of the composite material, wherein there is a granulated material loading at continuous agitation of the suspension. If the granulated material consists of a combination of components, then loading of each granulated component is carried out consistently. Suspension agitation is carried out by the centrifugal water pump at the rate of water 1-2 m/s within 1-15 minutes. Upon the agitation process is terminated, a prepared mixture is unloaded into a centrifuge to remove a water from the mixture. To prevent losses of products and facilitate the unloading a prepared mixture, a special container with a mesh bag is mounted in the centrifuge. Centrifugal process is carried out during the set time with the set rotational rate of the centrifugal drum depending on contents of the sorption mixture. At all steps of obtaining the composite material, intense agitation of initial components continues promoting formation of initial components structure, at the same time a granulated material including the powdered activated carbon fills up the interlaced fiber sites preliminary created at the first stage. The structure with volume zones in the form of interlaced fiber sites filled with granulated material is formed.

The composite material obtained in such a way is poured in a suitable absorption column, condensed and packed.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

A possibility of industrial applicability and achieving a liquid purification efficiency regarding such indicators as ions of lead and chloroform at invention utilization are is proved to be true by the following examples.

Example A (according to the invention)

For preparation of filter columns on the basis of a composite material, the following components have been used: a cation-exchange fibers based on polyacrylonitrile “Aqualen 2” (produced by “Kemetsorb” Ltd., Russia) with average length 3.5 mm, superficial energy 50 MJ/m²; granulated activated carbon of 20×50 mesh, 250-850 micron (produced by “PJAC”, Philippines); powdered activated carbon of 50×200 mesh, 50-250 micron (produced by “PJAC”, Philippines); cation-exchange resin Lewatit CNP LF a grade 0.2-0.6 mm (produced by LanXess, Germany). The composite material obtained in such a way has been packed into cylindrical sorption columns (polypropylene, diameter 60 mm, height 70 mm). Thus, 3 columns have been made: A1, A2, A3 (Tab. 1). During filtration, the Columns A have been installed vertically with a liquid pumped through from top to down.

Comparative Example B (according a prototype)

One part by weight of cut activated carbon “Aqualen” fibers (produced by “Kemetsorb” Ltd., Russia) with the average length 10 mm, superficial energy 50 MJ/m² has been put in the container, and 100 parts by weight of water was added to make a suspension. Seven parts of granulated activated carbon F200 (Calgon, USA) with the average grade 20×50 mesh, 250-850 micron, was added in a suspension and well mixed at room temperature. The created mixture was whizzed to reduce water contents up to less than 40% by weight. The dehydrated mixture of adsorbents then was densely packed into a cylindrical filter column. Thus, it has been made 3 columns: B1, B2. B3. During a filtration, Columns B have been installed vertically, and a liquid was pumped through Columns B from top to down (Tab. 1).

TABLE 1 Weight of components in a sorption cartridge, g. Component A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 B3 Fiber “Aqualen 2” 6 5 4 — — — Fiber “Aqualen” — — — 7 7 6 Activated carbon 50 30 30 46 50 55 20 × 50 Activated carbon — 30 25 — — — 50 × 200 cation-exchange resin — — 15 — — — Lewatit CNP LF In all cases, the gross volume of columns has been filled by a composite material completely.

Example 1

A standardized test solution of ions of lead with concentration of 0.15 mg/l has been passed through sorption columns A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3 by gravity from the top reservoir. Filtration time was fixed, and concentration of ions of lead in the filtered water was defined. Concentration of ions of lead in the filtered water was defined according to GOST 1829372 “Drinking water. Methods of determination of contents of lead, zinc, silver” (Tab. 4).

Similarly, a standardized test solution of chloroform with concentration of 0.5 mg/l has been passed through sorption columns A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3 by gravity from the top reservoir. Filtration time was fixed, and concentration of chloroform in the filtered water was defined. Concentration of chloroform in the filtered water was defined according to MUK 4.1.646-96 “Methodical instructions on gas-chromatographic determination of halogen-containing substances in water”. Results are in Tab. 2.

TABLE 2 Removal of ions of lead and removal of chloroform Lead ions Chloroform Concentration Filtration Concentration Filtration of ions of time, of chloroform, time 1 Column lead, mg/l 1 liter, sec mg/l liter, sec A1 0.009 158 0.008 136 (94.0%)* (98.4%)* A2 0.003 131 0.003 128 (98.0%) (99.4%) A3 0.008 118 0.005 130 (94.6%) (99.0%) B1 0.020 190 0.044 189 (87.0%) (91.2%) B2 0.018 179 0.032 199 (88.3%) (93.4%) B3 0.014 185 0.033 183 (91.0%) (93.6%) *% of removed

The table shows, that time of filtration of 1 liter of a standardized test solution through a series of Columns A is less than a filtration time of the same standardized test solution through a series of Columns B, at the expense of increased filtration rate. Further, unlike a prototype, wherein the filtering mixture does not allow to purify and achieve satisfactory figures concerning ions of lead and chloroform, the proposed composite material, as it shows Table 2, due to its structure, allows to reach effective purification regarding said parameters.

While the present invention has been described in connection with the embodiment being considered now as most practically favourable and preferable, it is necessary to understand that the present invention is not limited by the described embodiment, and on the contrary, it covers various updatings and variants which are within the limits of idea and scope of the proposed set of claims. 

1. A composite material for filter purification of a liquid on the basis of a mixture of components of granulated and fibrous materials, characterized in that, the material comprises volume zones with adjustable density forming the material structure, which structure is self-strengthening when a liquid flows during filtration, wherein said volume zones represent the greatest part of the material, each zone is created in the form of interlaced fiber sites, which sites are bonded among themselves by separate fibers, and the space within and between said interlaced fiber sites is filled with granulated material.
 2. The composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that, the size of the greatest part of interlaced fiber sites is greater than average length of a separate fiber.
 3. The composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that, the size of each interlaced fiber site is not less than 1 mm.
 4. The composite material according to claim 3, characterized in that, the size of each interlaced fiber site is preferably 5-8 mm.
 5. The composite material according to claims 2, characterized in that, the average length of a separate fiber is from 0.5 mm to 3.9 mm, preferably 2.5-3.5 mm.
 6. The composite material according to claim 3, characterized in that, the size of each interlaced fiber site is preferably 9-16 mm.
 7. The composite material according to claims 2, characterized in that, the average length of a separate fiber is from 4 mm to 15.5 mm, preferably 7-8 mm.
 8. The composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that, the granulated material can be a granulated activated carbon, powdered activated carbon, granulated ion-exchange resin, granulated inorganic adsorbents on the basis of oxides, carbonates and silicates, or any combination of them.
 9. The composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that, the fibrous material can be a polymer fibers with a surface energy not less than 30 MJ/m², preferably not less than 60 MJ/m².
 10. The composite material according to claim 9, characterized in that, the polymer fibers can be fibers on the basis of polyacrylonitrile, cellulose fibers, modified fibers on the basis of cellulose, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers, carbon fibers, silicon comprising fibers, or any combination of them.
 11. The composite material according to claim 10, characterized in that, the polymer fibers on the basis of polyacrylonitrile can be an ion-exchange fibers with cation-exchange, anion-exchange, ion-complexing characteristics, or any combination of the said properties. 